Photoluminescent surgical device

ABSTRACT

Surgical devices are provided which carry a substantially nontoxic photoluminescent substance. When the devices are used in a surgical operation procedure, an excitation energy is simultaneously applied to the locus of the operation, causing the devices to be luminous and thereby improving the visibility of the procedure to the surgeon and his assistants.

United States Patent [191 Gain [11] 3,840,015 Oct. 8, 1974' 1PHOTOLUMINESCENT SURGICAL DEVICE [76] Inventor: Dean L. Gain, 342 W.Berridge,

Phoenix, Ariz. 85013 [22] Filed: June 28, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 374,806

[52] US. Cl 128/303, 128/2 R, 128/335.5, 128/339 [51] Int. CL... A61b17/00 [58] Field of Search... 128/303, 2 A, 2 R, 335.5 239, 128/DIG. 9,DIG. 16, 10, 11; 119/106;

- V I n 7 240/225 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,950,9333/1934 Snell ..43/l7.5

2,563,522 8/1951 Fisher 43/175 X 2,798,458 7/1957 3,125,536 3/19643,700,489 10/1972 Primary ExaminerLucie H. Laudenslager Attorney, Agent,or Firm-William H. Drummond [57] ABSTRACT Surgical devices are providedwhich carry a substantially non-toxic photoluminescent substance. Whenthe devices are used in a surgical operation procedure, an excitationenergy is simultaneously applied to the locus of the operation, causingthe devices to be luminous and thereby improving the visibility of theprocedure to the surgeon and his assistants. 5

3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 1 *PI'IOTOLUMINESCENT SURGICAL DEVICE Thisinvention relates to novel articles of manufacture especially useful insurgical procedures and to improved surgical techniques.

In one particular respect, the invention relates to improved surgicaldevices especially adapted toimprove the visibility of the procedure tothe surgeon and his assistants.

In yet another respect, the invention relates to an improved surgicaltechnique which enables the surgeon and hisassistants to more accuratelycarryout the manipulative steps of the procedure by increasing thevisibility of the surgical devices employed.

In still another'and further aspect, the invention relates to improvedsuturing devices and methods in which the visibility of the devicesduring use is markedly. increased, thereby enabling the surgeon and hisassistants to more accurately close a wound or incision and with lesseyestrain.

One of the prime problems encountered in many surgical procedures is thedifficulty which the surgeon and is assistants have in clearly seeingthe surgical devices being employed. This problem is especially acute inmicrosurgical procedures such as are employed in operations on the eye,the inner ear, etc. The visibility problem is also especially acuteduring the suturing phases of such procedures. i

It would therefore be highly desirable to provide apparatus and methods-to improve the visibility of the various devices used in surgicaltechniques.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention toprovide apparatus and methods especially adapted to improve thevisibility of the various devices used in surgical techniques.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide apparatus whichbecomes luminous under the conditions of the surgical operation tothereby distinguish and more clearly delineate the position and movementof the devices during the operation.

Still another and further object of the invention is to provide improvedsurgical procedures in which the surgeon and his assistants are able tomore clearly and accurately perceive the exact position, relationshipand movement of devices used in the manipulative procedures of theoperation. Further objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription thereof taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a surgical scalpel provided with a luminescentcoating on the blade portion thereof;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the scalpel of FIG. 1 taken alongsection line 22 thereof;

FIG. 3 is a suturing needle having a luminous coating on the tipthereof;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the suturing needle of FIG. 3 takenalong section line 4-4 thereof;

' FIG. 5 represents a length of luminescent suturing thread; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the thread of FIG. 5 taken alongsection line 66 thereof.

Briefly, in accordance with my invention I provide a new article ofmanufacture comprising a surgical device carrying a substantiallynon-toxic photoluminescent substance. My invention also comprehends animproved surgical operation procedure in which a sur- 2 gical devicecarrying a substantially non-toxic photoluminescent substance isutilized in the performance of the manipulative steps of the procedurewhile simultaneously an excitation energy is applied to the locus of theoperation to cause the surgical device to emit light.

As used herein, the term surgical device means any of the conventionaltypes of apparatus used in the performance of the manipulative steps ofsurgical procedures such as, without limiting the generality of theforegoing, forceps, probes, retractors, scalpels, clamps, suturingneedles, suturing threads, tweezers, sponges, pads, and the like.

The particular photoluminescent substance to be employed is not highlycritical, the principal criteria for selection thereof being that it issubstantially non-toxic, i. e., does not cause trauma or harmful sideeffects when it contacts body tissues during the course of the surgicaloperation. The term photoluminescent substance" as used herein means asubstance or compound which becomes luminescent when stimulated orexcited by suitable radiation or by emissions such as cathode rays. Thisterm includes both so-called ffluorescent" substances, which emit lightonly so long as they are exposed to the exciting radiation or emission,as well as so-called phosphorescent substances, which may continue toemit light for a period of time afterv the excitation is discontinued. i

The photoluminescent substance can be either coated upon the surgicaldevice (as in the case of a metallic instrument) or may be actuallyimpregnated on and within a porous surgical device such as a suturingthread or sponge. In this connection, it is only necessary that thephotoluminescent substance be carried by the surgical device in suchmanner as to cause it to appear luminous to the surgeon and hisassistants during the course of the operation. According to a presentlypreferred embodiment of the invention, the photoluminescent substance isphysically mixed with polytetrafluoroethyle'ne which is then applied asa very thin coating to the surgical device in the manner known to thoseskilled in the art as the Ethicon method.

As will be apparent, it is not necessary to coat the entire surgicaldevice with the photoluminescent material. For example, as indicated inthe drawings, which illustrate various presently preferred embodimentsof the invention, the blade 10 of the surgical scalpel of FIGS. 1-2bears a coating 11 of photoluminescent material (the thickness of whichis greatly exaggerated for clarity of illustration), the coating beingdeposited only at the outer end of the blade 10 in such manner as tocover all except the cutting edge 12. The suturing needle 15 of FIGS.3-4 carries the photoluminescent coating 16 only. at the tip orpoint ofthe needle. The surgical suture-21 of FIGS. 5-6 can either carry asubstan' tially continuous coating 22 over its entire length or, forexample, could bear spaced or spiral bands of the luminescent material22.

The relative toxicityof the photoluminescent materials which arecandidates for use in accordance with the invention can be readilydetermined without undue experimentation by those skilled in the artusing recognized techniques. Specificexamples of photoluminescentmaterials which may be effectively employed in the practice of theinvention include the so-called organic phosphor dyes such as Eosine,Fluorescein, Magdela red, Methylene blue, Primuline, Rhodamine B,

and Rhodamine 6g. In addition, other aromatic organic phosphors such asAcridine and Phenanthrene may be employed. In addition to organiccompounds, inorganic phosphors of the sulfide type, such as ZnS:Ag,ZnSzMn, ZnO:[Zn], may be employed, as well as inorganic oxide-typephosphors such as CaSiO :Mn and Al O :Cr.

The specific source of excitation energy will vary with the particularphotoluminescent compound employed and may include visible light(usually blue or blue-green), ultraviolet, cathode rays, etc.

In accordancewith the method of the present invention, the surgicalinstruments and devices are manipulated by the surgeon and hisassistants in exactly the same manner as in standard surgical operatingtechniques to perform the manipulative steps of the procedure, whileexcitation energy is simultaneously applied to the locus of theoperation by art-recognized techniques, such as by lamps furnishingultraviolet or visible radiation. According to one presently preferredembodiment of the invention, the intensity of the visible light commonlyemployed in operating theaters can be drastically reduced withcorresponding reduction in the eyestrain suffered by the surgeon and hisassistants without sacrificing the visibility of the surgical devices asthey are employed in the locus of the operation.

Another significant advantage of the invention resides in the fact thatinstruments, pads and sponges embodying the present invention which aretemporarily placed within a body cavity, wound or incision duringsurgical procedures can be more readily discerned by the surgical team,thereby lessening the chance that they will be misplaced orinadvertently left inside the body at the termination of the procedure.

Having described my invention in such terms as to enable those skilledin the art to understand and practice it, I claim:

1. A new article of manufacture comprising a surgical device of the typeconventionally employed in the manipulative steps of a surgicalprocedure, said device carrying thereon a substantially non-toxicphotoluminescent substance, whereby said photoluminescent substanceemits light when excited to improve the visibility of said procedure tosurgical personnel using said device in the performance of saidprocedure.

2. Article of claim 1, in which said photoluminescent substance isimpregnated in said device.

3. Article of claim 1, in which said photoluminescent substance isincluded in a coating carried on at least a portion of said article.

1. A new article of manufacture comprising a surgical device of the typeconventionally employed in the manipulative steps of a surgicalprocedure, said device carrying thereon a substantially non-toxicphotoluminescent substance, whereby said photoluminescent substanceemits light when excited to improve the visibility of said procedure tosurgical personnel using said device in the performance of saidprocedure.
 2. Article of claim 1, in which said photoluminescentsubstance is impregnated in said device.
 3. Article of claim 1, in whichsaid photoluminescent substance is included in a coating carried on atleast a portion of said article.